Scaevola plant named ‘Bonsca 1219’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Scaevola  plant named ‘Bonsca 1219’, characterized by its compact and spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; dark violet-colored flowers; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Scaevola aemula.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BONSCA 1219’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola plant, botanically known as Scaevola aemula and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bonsca 1219’.

The new Scaevola plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, spreading and early-flowering Scaevola plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Scaevola plant originated from an open-pollination in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia in February, 2011 of a proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula identified by the code number 09-33, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Scaevola plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia on Dec. 19, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Scaevola plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia since December, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Scaevola plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Scaevola have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bonsca 1219’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bonsca 1219’ as a new and distinct Scaevola plant:

-   -   1. Compact and spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Dark violet-colored flowers.     -   6. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Scaevola differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower petal color as plants of the female parent selection have sky blue-colored flowers petals. In addition, plants of the new Scaevola are more spreading than and not as flat as plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the Scaevola aemula ‘Wesscaetob’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,658. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Scaevola differ from plants of the ‘Wesscaetob’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola are more spreading than and not as         mounding as plants of ‘Wesscaetob’.     -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola flower earlier than plants of         ‘Wesscaetob’.     -   3. Plants of the new Scaevola are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Wesscaetob’.     -   4. Plants of the new Scaevola and ‘Wesscaetob’ differ in flower         petal color as plants of ‘Wesscaetob’ have violet blue-colored         flower petals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Scaevola plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Scaevola plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonsca 1219’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonsca 1219’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer in 20-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Scaevola production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 25° C. Plants were three months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Scaevola aemula ‘Bonsca 1219’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Scaevola             aemula identified as code number 09-33, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of             Scaevola aemula, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 21° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at             temperatures about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 21° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About four weeks at             temperatures about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and spreading plant habit;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with lateral             branches potentially forming at every node; pinching             enhances branching potential.         -   Plant height.—About 24.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 73.2 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 19.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; rough.         -   Color.—Close to 138B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 4.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; rough.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and shape.—Zygomorphic, semi-circular,             fan-shaped flowers with five petals fused at the base to             form a tubular flower throat; flower throat open along the             upper surface exposing the reproductive organs.         -   Flower arrangement and quantity.—Solitary sessile flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; flowers mostly horizontal;             freely flowering habit with typically about 4,100 flowers             developing per plant during the flowering season.         -   Flowering time.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering after about four weeks after planting; long flower             period, plants flower continuously from spring to autumn in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers typically last about a week on the             plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Present, pleasant.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 2.8 mm.             Shape: Lenticular. Color: Close to N77C.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 1.5 cm by 2.9 cm. Depth: About             1.3 cm. Throat diameter: About 3.6 mm. Tube length: About             1.1 cm. Tube diameter, distally: About 3 mm. Tube diameter,             proximally: About 2.1 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five, fused at base. Length,             beyond tube: About 1.3 cm. Width, beyond tube: About 5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire;             weakly undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Texture, throat and tube: Pubescent. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 83A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to N87A; midrib, close to 199D. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 83B; towards the throat, close to             1D; color does not change with development. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 86B; midrib, close to 199D. Throat,             distally: Close to 2B; venation, close to N79A. Throat,             proximally: Close to 1A; venation, close to N79A. Tube:             Close to 1B; venation, close to 78A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Two. Length: About 7.5 mm.             Width: About 1.4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Distally, close             to 143A; proximally, close to 143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             Five. Filament length: About 3.6 mm. Filament color: Close             to N199D. Anther size: About 1.3 mm by 0.6 mm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to N199C. Pollen: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 155B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.3 cm. Style color: Close             to N77B and 149D. Stigma color: Close to NN155A. Ovary             color: Close to 143C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Scaevola. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Scaevola have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Scaevola have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Scaevola     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Scaevola plant named ‘Bonsca 1219’ as illustrated and described. 